First, the good news:
Louisville's smoking ban was correctly restored by the Metro Council last Thursday, this time without any ill-advised exemptions.
But the bad news is Kentucky still earned an "F" last week from the American Lung Association for its weak efforts to curb smoking.
Even most smokers would agree that theirs is a habit that the next generation would be wise to avoid. But when it comes to taking the single step that would be most effective in reducing teenage smoking - raising its pitifully low cigarette tax - our legislators have been spineless.
It's no coincidence that Kentucky has the nation's highest smoking rate - 29 percent - and also has the nation's third-lowest cigarette tax - only 30 cents a pack.
If we raised that tax by another 75 cents, we'd still be below the national average. But we'd seriously reduce smoking levels. And in the meantime, we'd raise around 300 million extra dollars a year -- which would help pay the nearly 500 million a year in health costs incurred by the state because of smoking-related illness.
But like the local people who resisted the public smoking ban, our legislature simply refuses to acknowledge reality. And that's dangerously irresponsible.
What do you think? Call, and let us know.
I'm Bill Lamb, and that's my...Point of View
